iichi Nomi Open 2026 took place on August 1 and 2 at Middle Collegiate Church in New York, with 256 players and ten hanchan without a cut. Erik Karhan took first place in the ARA final standings, ahead of Bichen W and Ty Kennedy. The 2026 change concerned the rules: the event replaced the WRC 2022 base used in 2025 with Saikouisen rules and removed big honba.
Saikouisen replaces the WRC rules base
In 2025, Riichi Nomi Open used WRC rules with red fives, nagashi mangan, +30/+10 uma, and counted yakuman. That edition also introduced big honba, making each honba worth 1,500 points instead of the usual 300.
For 2026, the rules move to a Saikouisen base. The official listing keeps only two adjustments: red fives and a 75-minute limit, with the current hand completed when time expires. Big honba is therefore no longer part of the format.
What remains familiar after the switch
The move to Saikouisen does not change everything. Red fives and +30/+10 uma were already among the 2025 WRC options and remain in place. The placement bonus therefore carries the same weight in both editions.
The clearest difference lies in procedures and penalties. The Saikouisen document distinguishes sho-chombo for minor infractions from a full chombo for more serious faults. That framework replaces the one used under WRC rules in 2025.
Your games and feedback help us build a better place to play riichi. The numbered Kin-Urushi set is our thank-you to the first 1,000 players.
Ten cumulative hanchan with no cut
The competition keeps the structure already used in 2025. The 256-player field plays ten hanchan, five on Saturday and five on Sunday. Every result contributes to the final total, with no final table and no score reset.
Pairings follow cumulative standings through fixed groups. After each round, players are ordered by total and divided to build the next tables. The winner is the player leading after the tenth hanchan.
The largest field in RNO history
The official event pages show steady growth: 208 seats in 2024, 212 in 2025, and 256 in 2026. The sixth edition therefore adds 44 seats to the previous record and sells out at Middle Collegiate Church.
The announced prize package set aside $1,875 for the top eight, including $600 and a championship ring for first place. Medals were also allocated to the top four.
Erik Karhan leads the ARA final standings
RNO 2026 is certified by the American Riichi Association within the United States cycle toward WRC 2028. That status continues the tournament’s recent history: the official 2024 page already listed it as a Regional WRC Qualifier.
The final standings published by the ARA place Erik Karhan first with 196 qualification points, ahead of Bichen W on 164 and Ty Kennedy on 145.
With 256 participants, the top 64 eligible places receive qualification points. Those points feed the national standings that lead to the ARA Invitational, a stage separate from the world championship itself.